When Cooking For Frank, Hold the Garlic

By

Charles Passy

Dec 12, 2011 12:00 pm ET

It’s not that Francis Albert Sinatra – a proud Italian-American and a man who relished a good meal – didn’t like the taste of garlic. It’s just that even a single clove would play havoc with his digestion. So, he asked instead that his dishes be infused with the flavor – meaning the cloves could be sautéed in the olive oil that went into one of his favorite dishes (say, an appetizer of cooked littleneck clams), so long as every last piece of them was removed.

Such is the kind of details and stories that Sal Scognamillo, chef and co-owner of New York’s famed Patsy’s restaurant, tells of his many years cooking for Frank Sinatra. And Scognamillo is actually the third generation of his family to have the honor of serving Ol’ Blue Eyes at Patsy’s, which is, by far, the restaurant most associated with the late legend.

This copy is for your personal, non-commercial use only. Distribution and use of this material are governed by our Subscriber Agreement and by copyright law. For non-personal use or to order multiple copies, please contact Dow Jones Reprints at 1-800-843-0008 or visit www.djreprints.com.